The Father’s Business and Ours

LW BAPTIST

By Rolland Coburn

Pastor

The Bible says that as Jesus grew, he learned things by experience. Most important, he became aware of his calling, mission and business to do his father’s will. He learned how to be about his father’s business, and that is to be our business, too.

“To be used of God to sing, to speak, to pray/ To be used of God to show someone the way/I long so much to feel the touch of his consuming fire/To be used of God is my desire.”

The writings of Jesus’ childhood tell how Jesus readied himself to serve the father in heaven, and show how we can also serve.

Jesus learned how his parents expressed their love for God (40-41), and God gave us parents to start us in life, too. Jesus continued to grow and become strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was upon him. And every year, Jesus’ parents went to the Jerusalem Passover.

Jesus learned to know and love God’s Word (42-47), and God enables us by grace also to know and love his word. When Jesus was 12 years old, his family went to Passover as usual. Afterward, as they were returning, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not know. Thinking he was in the caravan, they traveled all day, and then began checking for him with family and friends. Not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem searching for him. Three days later, they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers of God’s word, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed by his understanding and answers.

Jesus learned to start serving God right away (48-49), and we learn the longer we serve, the sweeter it is. When Mary and Joseph saw Jesus there in the temple, they were dumbfounded. His mother

Rollan Coburn said to him, “Son, why did you treat us this way? See, your father and I are grieving, searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Did you not know I had to be in my father’s house?”

Jesus learned (50-51) how to respect authority for the father’s sake, and we learn to do so too. Mary and Joseph did not understand Jesus’ answer. Of course Jesus went back to Nazareth with them and was subject to them. And his mother treasured all of his words in her heart.

Jesus learned to understand and enjoy God’s favor and people, and we learn the same. Jesus grew more and more in wisdom and stature, and in grace with God and man. As the chorus says, his calling was “to be used of God.”

Frances Havergal put it this way: “Another year is dawning . . . of witness for Thy love/another year of training for holier work above . . . Dear father let it be/on earth or else in heaven, another year for Thee.”